March 8: gender stereotypes are "Ballshit"

On the occasion of Women's Day, Plenitude has renewed its commitment to combating all forms of discrimination by launching a campaign with symbolic value.

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"Shut up," "That's a man's job," "I'll take care of the money," "Either work or family," "Stay in your place." These five phrases, unfortunately, still resonate in the experiences of many women today, limiting their opportunities and fueling inequality. For International Women's Rights Day on March 8, Plenitude reaffirms its commitment to fighting discrimination with the initiative "Ballshit". This project began last autumn, during the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. On November 21, during the EuroLeague warm-up match against Maccabi Tel Aviv, Olimpia players used basketballs printed with emblematic phrases representing widespread gender stereotypes.

For this March 8, Plenitude is introducing a new chapter in the initiative: basketballs are replaced with stress balls, smaller and easier to carry, but just as powerful: in order to “crush” all stereotypical phrases. With this new "Ballshit" collection, the company once again stands by women to counter offensive phrases like those mentioned at the beginning of this article, which women still hear daily.

"Ballshit" stress balls - available in all Plenitude flagship stores starting March 7 and distributed to Plenitude employees - serve as a way to highlight some of the gender stereotypes still present in our society. But there's more. In the stores of Milan on March 7 in Corso Buenos Aires and in Bologna on March 8, visitors will have the chance to meet the artist Isabella Bersellini, who will be live-painting some balls with her powerful illustrations.

The balls are accompanied by posters and t-shirts with illustrations created by the same artist, visually reinforcing the campaign's message.

Promoting a culture of respect and gender equality is an ongoing commitment for Plenitude. The company has obtained UNI PdR 125:2022 certification, validated by Certiquality, which confirms the effectiveness of its efforts in promoting gender equity. Additionally, the 2023 Sustainability Report and Impact Report highlight a gender pay gap of 97%, reaffirming Plenitude’s strategic goal of achieving full gender and pay equality by 2025 (already at 47.7% by the end of 2023).

Plenitude has launched several initiatives on this topic, including last year's event featuring authors such as Francesca Cavallo and Gabriella Greison, as well as a financial awareness program aimed at supporting women's financial independence.

Once again, this March 8, the company is renewing its commitment to fighting discrimination. "Ballshit" is a symbol: gender equality concerns everyone because amplifying every voice enriches society. Educating future generations about respect is essential to creating a world free from gender inequalities and discrimination.